Double rectilinear torch machine



Jam, 3% fi fl N-IURMAN, JR EAQMN DOUBLE RECTILINEAR TORCH MACHINE Filed Sept. 3, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 31 INVENTOR OLIVER THURMAN JR a BY %, x--%, Z,.& a

ATTORNEY-.7

J, M NEH o. THURMAN, m

DOUBLE RECTILINEAR TORCH MACHINE Filed Sept. 3; 194'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR OLIVER TH URMAN JR.

f M, iwa Ila/ ATTORNEYJ Patented Jan. 31, 1950 DOUBLE RECTILINEAR TORCH MACHINE Oliver Thurman, Jr., Mount Tabor, N. .L, assignor to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application September 3, 1947, Serial No. 771,843 6 Claims. (01. zoo- 23) This invention relates to universal gas cutting andwelding machines of the type in which a cutting or welding torch and a tracer are both 1 mounted for unitary and universal movement in a plane so that the pattern which the tracer is caused to follow is reproduced by the torch. More particularly, the invention relates touniversal gas cutting and Welding machines of the so-called double rectilinear type. In this type of machine a base carriage, running on a track so that it can move rectilinearly, supports a second carriage or frame on which the tracer and the torch are mounted and which is guided to move at right angles to the direction of movement of th base carriage. Thus, movement of the tracer and torch in any direction in one plane is permitted by movement of either carriage or by their simultaneous movement.

There are two inherent difliculties with double rectilinear machines of the prior art. The first is the inability of the tracer to maintain a true course and aconstant speed when a sharp corner is traversed. This is due to the relatively great inertia of the carriages. For example, when the tracer is travelling in a direction parallel to the axis of one of the carriages, the other carriage is at rest. If the tracer should then turn a right angle corner, it is necessary for the moving carriage to stop instantaneously and the stationary carriage to start right out at the tracing speed. This, of course, is impossible due to the inertia -of the machine, and the tracer must necessarily slow up and skid, resulting in a change of torch speed and possible deviation from the desired course.

machine is constructed so that motion is transmitted "from the tracer carriage to the base carriage, and preferably also from the tracer to the tracer carriage, by a resilient connection to overcome these difficulties. -The construction is such that in spite of the lost motion provided,

there can be no movement of the tracer without corresponding movement of the torch.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a double rectilinear cutting machine constructed according to theinvention; l 7

Fig.2 is a. front elevation of the machinaof Fig. .1; I r

Fig.3 is a plan, view of the same machine; and. l v Fig.4 is a plan view of a modified form of double rectilinear cutting machine embodying theinvention. i I

Referring first to Figs. 1-3, a work table. ll, supports rails l2 on which a .base carriage t3 operateswThis carriage comprises a frame l4, axles l5, and wheels l6. .Resiliently mounted on the frame M. (Fig. .2) is an auxiliary carriage I! which constitutes a track support for the tracer carriage. The auxiliary carriage ll is connected to the base carriage by springs H8. The auxiliary carriage or track support IT rolls on the frame. on Wheels t9. Rails 29 fastened to the track support I! support the tracer carriage 2| The rails 21] forming the track for the tracer carriage 2| are mounted at right angles to the rails l2 forming the track for the base carriage IS.

The tracer carriage. 2| is similar to the base carriage and comprises a frame 22 (Fig. 1), axles 23, and Wheels 24. Resiliently mounted on the frame 22 is atracer and torch bar mount or second auxiliary carriage 25 to which a tracer and torch bar Zfiis fastened. Springs 2! connect the auxiliary carriage 25. to the tracer carriage 2|. The auxiliary carriage 25 rolls on the frame 22 on wheels 28. Thefirst auxiliary carriage or track. support .l'! and the second auxiliary carriage ortracer. and torch bar mount 25 need not be wheeled but may slide on.their respective main carriages, or-be otherwise mounted for guide and limited movement.

l A tracing device 3 lsof any suitable construction may be used to guide the torch or torches. It

isrigidly attached to the bar 25 by a bracket and clamp 32 (Fig. 3). In themachine illustrated the tracer is motorized and manually guided as is well known in the art. A motorl33 (Figs; I and 2lworks through reduction gears to drive-the tractionw'heel 34 at a constant speed the design. It is important to note that the torch and tracer are fixed to the same bar, and therefore fixed with respect to on another, insuring duplicate movement of the torch and tracer at all times. In this form of the invention the bar 26 along with the auxiliary carriage 25 constitutes a support for the tracer and the torch.

With the apparatus described above it is evident that any sudden change in direction of the tracer does not require a sudden change in speed of either of the main carriages it and 2'i.- The springs i8 and 2? deflect to allow the tracer to follow the desired course while the 'inertiaof the carriages is being overcome. In addition, if the desired course of the tracer is at a very small angle to the direction of'travel of either carriage, the tracer can work against the springs for its minor component oi motion, rather than against a non-resilient carriage, allowing the tracer to f'ollow'the course accurately.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the tracer carriage'il previously described has been eliminated by allowing the tracer and torch bar 26 to run through guide music! mount- 1 I ed on a member 42 rigidly fastened directly to the first auxiliary carriage H. 'The tracer and torch bar 26 therefore in efiec't constitute 'a' carriage on which the tracer 3| ancl'the torch 3? are mounted and such carriage slides rectilinearly in a directionat right angles to the direction in which the base carriage .13 moves. In this type of construction the inertia of the bar 26' and the torch and tracer carried by it may be negligible andaresilient connection (the springs I8) is required only between the base carriage and the auxiliary carriage.

"The invention is not limited to the specific con- "structions shown but includes any'machine of the double rectilinear .type having resilient means, "whether of the spring type above described or some other type, to overcome the previously mentioned difiiculties.

I claim:

l. Aidouble rectilinear torch machine compris xing-a movable base carriage guided tormoverec- :tilinear'ly, an upper carriagev movably mounted ".onthe base carriage and guided to move rectilinearly atan angle to the direction. .oijmovement of the base carriage, a tracer and .a torch mounted. on the upper carriage sothat they move .in

a direction in which the base carriageis movable.

I .212. Aidoublerectilinear torch machine comprisring a movable base carriage guided xtolmove rectilinearly, an :upper carriage movably mounted on the base carriage and guided to move "rectilinearly at an angle to the direction of move- ;ment of the base .carriagaa tracer and torch -support .mountedior limited ..movement on the upper carriage, .a. tracer and torch mounted on said su port so that theymovein unison and so iathat they are capable of universalmovement .in

a plane by reason of the double rectilinear movability of the carriages, resilient means interable, an upper carriage movably posed between the upper carriage and the base carriage for transmitting to the base carriage movements of the upper carriage in a direction in which the base carriage is movable, and resilient means interposed between said tracer and torch support and the upper carriage for transmitting to the upper carriage movements of said tracer and torch support in a direction in which the upper carriage is movable.

3. A double rectilinear torch machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said resilient .means comprises at least one coil spring interposed between the carriages.

4. A double rectilinear torch machine in accordance with claim 2 in which said two resilient means comprises coil springs.

5. A double .rectilinear torch machine comprising a movable base carriage guided to move rectilinearly, a support for an upper carriage mounted for limited movement on the base carriage in the same direction that the car age is'm'ovable,lresilient means interposed betwcor said supp rt and the base carriage arranged to transmit to the base carriage movements of the support in a direction in which the base carriage iSIImO-V- mounted on said support and guided to move rectilinearly :atan angle to the direction of movement of the base carriage, and. a. tracer and torch mounted-onsaid upper carriage so that they move in unison and so that they are capable of universal movement in a plane by reason of the double rectilinear movability of the carriages. 6. .A double rectilinear torch machine comprising a movable base carriage guided tomove rectilinearly, a support for an upper carriage mounted for limited movement on the base carriage in the same direction that the base carriage is movable, resilient means interposed between said support and the base carriage arranged to transmit movements of the support in a direction in which the base carriage is movable to the base carriage, an upper carriage movably mounted on said support and guided to move rectilinearly'at an angle to the direction of movement of the base carriage, a tracer and torch support .mounted for limited movement on said upper carriage -in the same direction that the upper carriage is movable, resilient means interposed between said last-named support and the upper carriage .ar- .ranged to transmit to the upper carriage move- .ments of thesupport in a direction .in which REFERENCES CITED The knowing references of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEL .TS

Number Name Date 1,956,581 Krebs May 1, 1934 2,278,697 Anderson h... 7, 1942 2,331,337

Meyer .c Oct. 12, 1943 

